An adult BALD EAGLE at the end of the day Monday, and two more adult BALD EAGLES at the end of the day Tuesday, are the highlights of a so far slow season at the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch. Warm weather heading this way from the southern US should bring good numbers of birds, particularly Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, over the coming weekend. Large flights of Turkey Vultures will not be far behind.
Every spring hawks, eagles, falcons and vultures make their way from South and Central America, the Caribbean and the southern United States to their nesting territories in Canada. To reach their summer quarters, thousands of these raptors follow the Niagara Escarpment, passing directly over the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority's Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby. On average 14,500 raptors pass by Beamer each spring. >From March 1 to May 15, except in very poor weather, members of the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch are stationed at Beamer all day to monitor the flight and count the hawks. >From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the weekends of March 22-23 and April 12-13, Hawkwatch members will conduct free hawk identification workshops at Beamer. The annual Hawkwatch Open House will be held on Good Friday, April 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Birders and non-birders alike are welcome to visit Beamer to meet members of the Hawkwatch and learn more about this naturally spectacular migration. To reach Beamer Memorial Conservation Area from the north or east, take Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) Exit 71 in Grimsby. Follow Christie St. South and Mountain Ave. to the top of the escarpment. Turn right onto Ridge Road West and follow to Quarry Road. Turn right and follow to the park entrance. Parking is permitted in the lot or on Quarry Road or Ridge Road. Visitors should remember not to leave valuables in their car. For more information, visit www.hwcn.org/link/niaghawk/ Mike Mike Street Ancaster, Ontario, Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mike Street <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
